Warner Bros. Anniversary DVD Set salutes Hanna Barbera

This year, Warner Home Video is releasing several DVD boxed sets designed to celebrate the film studio’s 90th anniversary. A few of them will actually compile cartoons. They’ve just announced one of these: The Best of Warner Bros.: Hanna Barbera 25 Cartoon Collection, a 2-DVD set available on May 21st, for $26.99 ($18.89 on Amazon). It includes selected H-B cartoons from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70′s. The contents are:

Sounds like quite a bargain to me. Sharp-eyed CB readers Rodrigo Tramonte and Homero Bender noted on Cartoon Brew’s Facebook page that the rabbit pictured on the box between Yogi Bear and Quick Draw McGraw is not a familiar Hanna Barbera character (see below). It’s actually “Rapid Rabbit” from a late Warner Bros. Looney Tunes theatrical short, Rabbit Stew And Rabbits Too (1969).

Apparently the artist meant to use a Ricochet Rabbit (the particular Ricochet Rabbit cartoon on this set is titled “Rapid Rabbit“). I’ve been told Warner Bros. will correct the artwork on the final package.

I am excited about the package. but what about including luaral and hardy cartoon to this collection.

DBenson

I had the vague notion that “Laurel and Hardy” and “Sinbad” (the kid with the magic belt) were more works for hire than HB properties. Larry “Bozo” Harmon had a deal with the estates of Laurel and Hardy; the shorts were shown on the franchised Bozo show. And “Sinbad” was owned or at least distributed by American International; an earlier non-HB version would crop up with an American International credit.

Maybe WHV could put Ruff and Reddy on the cover instead of Riccochet Rabbit. I’m looking forward to this compilation.

Tony

Looks like a nice cross section of H-B’s classic period. One character, however, is conspicuous by his absence – Scooby Doo. Perhaps there’s a seperate set for him, or Warners decided he’s been oversaturated in the market place and gave him a break.
On a related note, what is happening with the second volume of the Tom and Jerry Golden Collection? I expected it to be released with the LooneyTunes Platinum Collection Volume 2.

wever

…….. why correct the cover??!?!

Jonah

… Because it’s wrong?

Russell H

The dealmaker for me on this one is the inclusion of “Spud Dud,” one of my all-time favorite Huckleberry Hound cartoons, one of the best cartoon parodies of the the “weird giant monster” SF films of the 1950s.

I have better idea than that set how about complete series boxed of every single show of this set.

Michael Henderson

Not much nitate OCN’s in the MGM cartoon collection. Big fire at an MGM vault in about 1967 took care of the nitrate animation negatives along with silent features and other material. Safeties in acetate were made before the fire happened & stored in another vault. I understand the T&J lost were all the uncensored ones. PC correction took place on the preservation reels or prints for TV.

Any input on this story would be welcome.

Mesterius

It’s true that the original nitrate negatives (i. e. the negatives with original titles, not reiusse titles) for about all MGM cartoons up until the early 1950s have been presumed lost since the 1967 vault fire. However — a few years ago, Jerry announced on Stu’s Show that 10-12 original nitrate negatives for the Tom and Jerry cartoons – with their original titles – had actually been found by Warner Brothers! The thing is, they had mistakenly been stored somewhere else than the rest of the cartoons, and as a result NOT gone up in flames as everybody had assumed! So that’s what I’m talking about up above. 10-12 T&J cartoons exist in their original nitrate form after all – and will presumably be restored in future Blu-ray editions. What I’m wondering about is, exactly which cartoons are these?

austin

what about quick draw mcgraw

Grant

I’m hearing from Greg who bought the set today, that the episodes listed bare little resemblance to what’s on the set.

steve

I would buy complete sets of peter potamus, and atom ant in a minute. I am looking forward to those releases